Off Season Opening of Guildford Lido ‘Not Financially Viable’

Published on: 4 Oct, 2024
Updated on: 19 Oct, 2024

The entrance to the Guildford Lido. Google Street View

By Emily Dalton

local democracy reporter

Outdoor swimming enthusiasts have called on Guildford Borough Council (GBC) and operator Freedom Leisure to reinstate all-year-round swimming at the Guildford Lido, in Stoke Park, in their contract when it is renewed in November.

The pool used to be open 12 months a year from 2014, but that ended during the pandemic. This year’s summer season ended on September 15.

Reaching over 1,600 signatures, a petition has said restoring the lido’s ‘off-season’ (autumn to spring) will promote health, well-being, and athletic achievement throughout the year.

“Not a financially viable model”

Cllr James Walsh

Councillors quizzed the Lead for Commercial Services about the lido at GBC’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on September 30. Cllr James Walsh (Lab, Bellfields and Slyfield), referencing the petition, asked if a viable compromise could be made where winter swimmers can enjoy the pool without a financial loss.

“I don’t know how many of those 1,600 people would like to swim in the winter,” said Cllr Catherine Houston (Lib Dem, Shalford), lead councillor for Commercial Services at GBC. She told the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on September 30 that she went down to the lido a week before it closed and there were only 12 people in the pool. “That is not a financially viable model,” Cllr Houston added.

Cllr Catherine Houston

Run at £140,000 loss in the summer, the lido is still able to operate because it is paired with the Spectrum centre, according to Cllr Houston. She described it as a ‘loss leader’ model: where the lido is sold at a loss to attract customers to the Spectrum.

Cllr Houston said the lido is “already not a profitable operation in the summer” but the council chooses to run it because “we all love it”. She added: “It’s such a wonderful facility and it provides a really valuable asset to the residents, visitors and beyond.”

Questions were raised about where the money is coming from for the council to invest to keep the pool open. Although there are some super keen winter swimmers, there are not the other leisure swimmers that may spend the whole day in the lido.

Cllr Walsh asked whether letting the pool out to clubs would subsidise the running costs. Officers explained that once the pool is open, the filtration and heating will be on so it is “tough” to see how many clubs and extracurricular sports groups will be needed to offset the costs. GBC would have to pay extra for the staff, heating, energy and catering arrangements.

1933: the then Mayor of Guildford, William Harvey, takes the first dive into the new lido.

The “grand old lady” needs upkeep

Cover of the official programme for the opening of Guildford Lido

Around 91 years old, the 50m lido is a “grand old lady” in need of “tender loving care”, according to Cllr Houston. The off-season closure allows operators to have a safe area to operate the annual works without people in the pool.

Six new boilers will be installed this winter, as part of the lido’s annual maintenance season. Three pool blankets, with an accompanying structure, will also be fitted on the lido to maintain the water’s temperature.

GBC invested £2.1 million into refurbishing the lido last year, including new changing rooms, improved drainage systems, environmental technologies to reduce energy and water usage, and updated poolside catering. Freedom Leisure also put in £1 million towards the upgrade.

Contractual obligations

The contract renewal in November 2025 creates a new opportunity for the operator and the council to see if a new out of season activity can be put on offer.

Cllr Houston speculated that Freedom Leisure might be asked to extend its opening hours by Friends of Guildford Lido. But the operator would have to look at a financial model to see if it is worth it without the extra cash input.

Operators of the lido are contracted to keep it open for 20 weeks, so the council cannot force it to stay open unless there is a big investment. “We’re in financially challenging times so we have to make tough decisions,” the lead councillor said.

Friends of Guildford Lido and the petitioners were contacted for comment. Neither has responded.